Moly Compression Rings
 

I got the rebuild kit and was getting set to start the reassembly and noticed in Christ's book it said to stay away from the cast rings for anything other than the second compression ring. My ? is now that I have a Hastings cast set .030 352 FE can I buy just the top rings in Moly somewhere or would I have to buy a whole other set to get them ?

TIA Redman

And is it really all that big a deal or ? This thing wont see much of any thing but summer towing for fishing trips, maybe winter hunting... very little daily activity..With gas prices what they are I'll buy a 4 banger Toy for that ...

I would be surprised if you can just buy 8 plasma moly coated rings without buying the manufactures complete ring set. Full cast is cheap and dirty for fast break in, think about it when the cast ring motor is tired when it could of been running years longer if moly were installed the first time.
I have gone to 400K with plasma moly rings, cast 80K.

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I think I will get a set from summit, I wondered what the diffrence was, rings, moly rings, plasma moly rings.. I assume the Hastings are cast rings.. the ones in it where a chrome color these Hastings are blackish.. is there a way to tell from the part# on the box ? Summit has plasma for $99.00 if i have the right part ID

I looked on Summit for Plasmamoly set that will fit and see two sets that look like at least the (top)Moly and oil rings will work for my application.
Part# SLP-R9903030 Sealed Power and Part # SUM-134-CM553130 Summit
I already have the 3/32 cast ring in Hastings brand. Anyone know if I'm wrong , or have a better suggestion, and what is the difference in a Moly and a Plasmamoly ring ?

You mean 5/64" not 3/32" ring width and 3/16" oil ring. Moly's just short for moly applied by the plasma process. To muck things up don't leave out chrome rings.

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The motor is a 352 the top 5/64, middle 3/32 and oil is 3/16..according to everything i have looked at, measured etc..thanks for the PM excellent advice.

And dont forget..you have to have a slightly finer finish to the cylinder walls to run Moly rings...

Trust meon this one..years ago I used moly's in a build in a brand X engine..that was finished for cast rings...and it smoked!! and it smoked!!

Couldnt figure out what the hell the problem was..until I finally figured out the rings hadnt seated?? I got to asking around....and found out from a few that had alot more time in building than I did ....That moly rings either seat from the start ..or dont seat at all...there seat is the finish on the bore!!

Some people use a 3 stone finish..and some use a 5 stone finish..which I think is only required for Drag racing applications... when finished the cylinder's almost have a slightly shiney finish.. and of course the High spots from the stones are rolled over with a ball hone.....

Just some food for thought!! It makes a big difference in Longevity< sp ?

JMO!!

RJ :-X22

thanks guys, Beemer mentioned using 400, 600, 1000 grit then burnishing with maple blocks.. sounds like a fantastic prep job. However googled for 4hrs last night and cannot find a write up on the process for burnishing a auto cylinder. If anyone wants to expand on this I'd be willing to read, links, anything.. I know they make a 400 grit stone do they also make 600 and 1000 or is this hand sanding ? TIA

That was hand sanding following the cross hatch pattern, on burnishing that was used on Pratt & Whittney 1830 and 2800 ci radial engines in a aircraft rebuiling shop. I made a copy of what Pratt had and but had the blocks spring loaded thinking it worked on them why not a FE motor, it worked. Long motor life also is how you treat it every time you start and drive off cold not alone oil changes and how you run it when at operating temp like lugging or touching that red decorative thing on the tach all the time. Call it over kill but I treat every motor with medically clean conditions and it shows in the bearings and a high mileage service life, must be the background. The added thing about moly rings is the material is porous and absorbs oil for bore lubrication and moly is a hard material which add to its long life.

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Well it figures, one of the pistons drop shipped by Fed Mog has a casting flaw that was machined over and QC did almost it's job. http://i5.tinypic.com/27yz4wh.jpg

Guess I'll have to ship it back in hopes they will replace it. Hand sanding up to 600 sounds do'able.. I don't think I'll be able to manufacture one of these burnishing wands anytime soon. Hopefully a 600grit oil polishing will do.... I take it that it will be ok to work on the honing with the cam bearings in already ?

The low areas that didn't get machined out of the piston will not harm the piston if you run it. Sending this photo to the manufacture will get you the same results I bet, they'll also say it's ok.
For a quick hand polish use paint thinner not oil, when done pressure wash with thinner, air dry then soap and water you'll be ok with the cam bearings.
Seal off the oil pickup and oil filter adapter holes on the block before polishing the bores.
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Well if you say it wont be a problem... Jesus I hate to toss it in the build but. Ok plenty paint thinner here from the boat paint job. Made a note of the oil pickup etc... Today I chased all the threads, started the oil pan ones with a metric then caught myself two holes later. They seem ok after using the correct tap. Got the crank bearings plastigauged 1-4 are .0015, #5 was .002 I was getting tuckered by that point might have slacked up on the 95lbs ?? It clicked twice, so we'll go with it...book says it's within range. I'll try to hand hone to 600 tomorrow and set down for some reading before moving into the crank installation.

Wrist Pins: As for the snap rings, all I could find were much to hard to install and left an end play 4 times to large, so I went with the cheap Fed Mog clips. Hey the were dead on as for end play...unless someone has a part # "please" LOL I guess the clips are it.. :-fire

It occured to me today, and I gotta ask: You run Hour Meters as well? I mean that in a good way...

That would be a yes with a Hobbs meter years ago on a 473K mile motor, was around 8,300+ hours in 14 years. Many trips from the bay area to Monterey and Shasta Lake here in Cali.
Way beyond TBO's for aircraft engines.

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